Thoughtful Yummy-ness

As I sit here eating my slice of chocolate tuxedo cheesecake, I am relishing every bite of the sumptuous dessert masterpiece and thinking about things that make me happy. Some of these things include: spending time with good friends and family, reading books that I can get lost in, drinking hot cocoa on a cold winter's day, listening to a classic car growl as it is driven up to a show or better yet getting a ride in one of those classic beauties, making people laugh, running outside all bundled up in layers until spring, hearing a favorite song on the radio, falling asleep on a summer's night with the windows open and a gentle breeze coming into my room, dancing in the rain with or without my favorite umbrella, getting a genuine compliment, having a cute guy smile at me, or listening to the giggles of my one of my friend's twins. And the list goes on and on. But, truly I am grateful for the life I have. And I think sometimes we lose sight of what we possess versus dwelling on what we don't have.

Have you stopped to give thought lately as to what makes you happy in your life? You might be surprised how delicious your world really is...

*Photo from Cheesecake Factory

Scream and Shout

Ever have one of those days when you just feel like yelling at the top of your lungs? That was today for me. However, I'm realizing that how I react to the source of my anger may determine how I can handle it the next time it happens.

Sometimes, no matter how frustrated you are with a person or a situation, talking to someone you trust, someone who will listen, or even someone who will just make you laugh, is the best way to go. Remember, today is just one day. Tomorrow will hopefully be better.

How do you deal with stressful or uncomfortable times in your life or people who know how to push your buttons? Care to share any strategies with me? I'd love to hear 'em.

Why can’t I be you?

We’ve all done it – wanted to live someone else’s life. I remember, years ago, when I was miserable in my job; my 45 minute commute seemed like forever. I would watch people who were jogging or walking leisurely in my neighborhood or on the streets I passed to get to the highway and wondered, “What do they do for a living?” Maybe they had a wealthy spouse and they didn’t have to work. Perhaps they were freelancers who set their own schedule and worked out of their homes. Who knows, maybe they had won the lotto and were now independently wealthy?

Whatever the case may have been with any of these people, I could only imagine, wonder, pine for their life. However I had no idea what happened behind the closed doors of their homes, the activities they participated in, the way they earned their livings. Therefore, being jealous of their lives was rather silly.

I realize now, after having been unemployed for over a year and being one of those people who took morning walks and jogs while the rest of the world was driving their cars to their workplaces, rushing not to be late, sipping from their coffee cups to wake up, someone passing me by on their commute might have, in fact, wondered about me.

And despite the fact I could set my own schedule and do things like go for long walks or sleep in a little later, or even meet someone at 2:00 in the afternoon for coffee and sit for a few hours to chat and brainstorm, inside of me I was frantically pondering how much longer until I became a working citizen again. I liked one aspect of my “freedom” but the other part of me wanted health benefits and a salary that would help me not to worry about every penny I spent. I wanted to feel like I was contributing my skills and knowledge and being useful in society.

I do admit, while I am grateful now for a job where I work with amazing people and have so much possibility to learn and grow, I do still long for the life of those who can make their days their own. However, I’ve started to realize that no matter how great we think someone else has it, maybe we need to stop and realize our lives can be whatever we want and we don’t need to try to live anyone else’s.

Do you have aspects about your life that you think others might secretly be wishing they had in their lives? You never know who might be wanting to be you.

Innovation

This morning at the office, we had our monthly communication meeting. Usually the primary messages encompassed in the PowerPoint slides are all about EBIT, making the numbers and other financial gobbledy gook that makes my eyes start to glaze over.

However, while there was some of that today, a pleasant surprise in the presentation included a short discussion on innovation.

Innovation is a new way of doing something or "new stuff that is made useful."

The gentleman leading the talk gave two examples of innovation. The first, about an employee of Johnson & Johnson who invented a product that failed miserably, but when he thought he would be fired, instead he was asked by senior management to make some tweaks to the original formula. The next attempt was very successful. The second person he mentioned was the entertainer Chris Rock. Apparently Rock goes to comedy clubs to try out his new material. And many of these jokes really bomb. But he keeps trying and eventually, he has some great material.

The true takeaway from all of this was, how can we be more innovative in our daily lives? What ideas can we try to make a reality even if they are looked upon with disdain or trepidation?

So now I pose that question to all of you. What have you done lately that was innovative? Or what can you do tonight, tomorrow, this week or even this year that is innovative, original, and really outside of your comfort zone?

You never know, you might change something or someone in a brand new way.

I Didn't Invent the Rainy Day, I Just Own the Best Umbrella

It really is a great umbrella. But it's really not about that...

Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life and some of the decisions I've made. I'm starting to realize that a lot of the time, the people I've chosen to spend my time with and the groups I've decided to join really have made all the difference for me and affected how I choose to spend my days.

Like today, for instance, when it's grey outside and not a particularly "nice" day. The weather is drizzly, chilly and gloomy. However, while I could have stayed inside and hibernated, instead I went to an event at a friend's house and met some new people. Afterwards I went for a run in my neighborhood despite the start of the light precipitation. And, both of these choices, have inspired me not only to write in my blog, but also to start planning for the weeks ahead. I've started to remember things that were important to me.

And I've been losing sight of that recently. Ever had times when you have felt like you are just merely existing verus living?

Starting Over…Yet Again

A new year begins – time to evaluate the past and anticipate the present.

Every time the clock strikes 12 on December 31st it’s as though we all wish for a little bit ‘o magic. We have hope for a new year, a clean slate, 365 days ahead of us to start fresh. However, I think it’s a good time to revisit the last 365 days, even if just for a few minutes.

I write a “year-in-review” on the 31st. I’ve been doing it for the past five years. This year I even started it a day earlier. And I’ve been editing it for a day or two since the new year began. For me it’s a cathartic process. It gives me a chance to look back and remember the good and the not so good moments. The times I want to treasure forever and those I’d rather forget.

Some how writing it down helps me. Helps me to think about my mistakes, my behaviors, my patterns and really try to figure out how I can grow, learn and better myself. I know I need to forgive a little more, be more patient (this is a BIG problem for me), and realize that my emotions should not be driven by other people’s actions. I have a tendency to get so wrapped up in thinking what someone says or does ALWAYS has to do with me. And often times it has NOTHING to with me. However, I just take everything as a personal attack. I’m learning that not everything can go the way I’d like and I need to stop focusing on what I can’t change. I need to think before I speak, be calmer and try to take things one day at a time.

So, while I don’t have “resolutions” per se, I think the above shows you what I’m learning from my year-in-reviews. And what I'm going to try to focus on in the current year. Perhaps, just taking time to wonder about what transpired in the past may help move us towards new opportunities, new challenges and even our “new” self.

And here’s hoping that whatever you need to do to help you transition from 2009 to 2010, remember that it’s not a race, it’s a journey. Therefore, enjoy the time and never try to rush a whole year away. There’s always much more to discover about yourself and your life.